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Animals favour ponds for different reasons. Adult
amphibians use them to lay their eggs. Grass snakes use
them to search for frogs and tadpoles. Birds use them
to drink and bathe. The best wildlife ponds and gardens
cater for all of these needs by providing a rich variety of
terrestrial habitats around the pond.
Damp areas:
Emerging amphibians are
very susceptible to drying out (dessicating)
in the sun. Avoid dry features (like slabs
and cobbles) that heat up quickly.
Grass piles:
After mowing your lawn
consider making a compost heap. Secluded
sunny spots are best and wildlife visitors
might include hedgehogs (to hibernate) and
grass snakes (to lay eggs).
Toad homes:
Build a toad home for
your back garden (visit www.froglife.org/
resources). All you need is some basic DIY
skills. With adult supervision, this can be
an excellent exercise for children. When
the shelter is complete, just put a few
leaves and twigs inside and pop it in the
garden.
Bog gardens:
A bog garden is a marshy
wet area that is invaluable for wildlife,
and it’s great for wetland plants too. Many
amphibians use these areas to stay cool in
summer and they are also attractive for a
range of invertebrates.
Bog gardens are simple to make, just dig
a hole to a depth of 30cm and lay a cheap
rubber liner inside the hole. The removed
soil can then be placed back on top of the
liner. Pierce the liner with a garden fork
to allow some drainage. You can choose
to leave your bog garden bare and let
plants colonise naturally, or alternatively
you could consider planting some native
marsh wild flowers. Make sure your bog
garden stays damp by adding rainwater
from a water butt. You could even consider
putting your bog garden near a gutter
outflow.
ENHANCING YOURWILDLIFE POND
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Ideas to get you started: